GWU baseball squanders 9-run lead in loss to Campbell

Sunday

BOILING SPRINGS — The Gardner-Webb baseball team built an early 9-0 lead, but saw Campbell rally for an 11-10 win Sunday in the rubber match of a three-game Big South Conference series.

The Runnin ’ Bulldogs (12-7-1, 1-2 Big South) struck for five runs in the first, three runs in the second and another in the third before Campbell (16-3, 2-1 Big South) could gather itself.

The Camels plated three unearned runs in the top of the fourth, but Gardner-Webb got a double from Brad Collins and a single from John Harris to go up 10-3 in the bottom half of that frame.

Campbell seized momentum with a six-run burst in the fifth, getting six hits. The big blows were a two-run double from David Olson and a two-run single from Michael Delucia with two outs. Conner Scarborough came on to record a strikeout to end the inning, but the Camels trailed only 10-9 and had momentum on their side from there.

Gardner-Webb had a chance to add to its lead in the sixth, getting a leadoff walk to Scott Coleman and putting runners on the corners with one out on a Collins single. Harris grounded into a double play to end the inning, however.

Scarborough was sharp out of the bullpen for Gardner-Webb, retiring eight batters in a row to keep his team up by one run until the top of the eighth. After recording a strikeout for the first out of that frame, Scarborough gave up a rolling single through the right side to Trevor Lane and Campbell had the tying run on board.

A fielder’s choice for the second out left a runner at first, but a walk to leadoff man Ben McQuown would spark another Campbell rally. John Reilly tied the game with a soft single through the right side and McQuown scored on an infield single by Michael Felton to put the Camels up 11-10.

Gardner-Webb got back-to-back singles with one out from Coleman and Benji Jackson in the eighth, but a deep fly ball to center from Collins was tracked down and Harris flied out to strand the pair.

Tyler Best led off the ninth with a single and pinch runner Alex Newman swiped second with two outs, but Campbell reliever Ryan Thompson closed out the game with a strikeout.

Thompson (1-0) worked 5 2/3 innings out of the pen and allowing just four hits and no runs (two strikeouts, two walks).

Scarborough (1-3) took the mound loss for Gardner-Webb, allowing two runs on three hits in 3 1/3 innings out of the bullpen (four strikeouts).

GWU will host Wingate at 6 p.m. Wednesday at John Henry Moss Stadium/Bill Masters Field, before getting back into league play at preseason favorite and defending champion Coastal Carolina on Friday. The weekend series against the Chanticleers will be played in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

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